Half-Marathon Training Plan

I'm looking for a half-marathon training plan that is in the 60-70 miles/6 days a week range.

Now that I have recovered from the recent marathon I am running 6 days a week in 60-70 mileage range.

I followed the Pfitz 12/70 plan for my most recent marathon. I've never trained for a half with an official plan before but would like to give it a shot. All of the plans I have found online have been too low mileage and only one speed/hard workout a week. Any suggestions?

I'm looking for a half-marathon training plan that is in the 60-70 miles/6 days a week range.

Now that I have recovered from the recent marathon I am running 6 days a week in 60-70 mileage range.

I followed the Pfitz 12/70 plan for my most recent marathon. I've never trained for a half with an official plan before but would like to give it a shot. All of the plans I have found online have been too low mileage and only one speed/hard workout a week. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

Kevin Allen

I found half plans difficult to find as well. So I ended up making my own.

Take your full time, figure out your goal time and check in the right thread on here. That should give you a good idea of how other people are approaching it. But generally each week will be a long run (though you don't need to go over 15, imho), one or two speed workouts, and the rest easy/recovery. I found tempo runs to be the most important (and hardest) aspect.

I had an HM training plan put together by a coach, and it involved running 6 days a week, 80 to 90 km/week. Typically, there was a long run (25 to 30k), "regular" runs (9 to 13 k), and 2 quality runs (tempo or interval). It seemed that every second week, the long run would also be a "quality" run, with tempo or MP portions inserted in the middle of it. One of the absolute worst (in terms of how it left me feeling at the end of it) was 29 km long run, with 2 x 5 km tempo sections in the middle of it, and a 5 km MP section to finish. On the plus side, those brutal long runs also set me up on race day, knowing that even if I was feeling like I was dieing, I could still hit my performance targets.

Often my tempo/interval runs would be in the 13 to 18k range. The tempo runs might be 5 x 1000m w/1 min recovery jog in between, they might be 40 min @ tempo pace, etc...

If I was you, I'd keep up your mileage, and figure on inserting a couple of quality runs in per week. Just a question of making up your quality runs...

If I can't find a formal plan I plan on running two quality workouts a week plus a MLR and LR plus 2-3 recovery runs. Our local running store has track workouts once a week which is nice to do speed work with other people. Everybody is running there own pace but for me it is much easier to run faster when running "with" other people. The other work out will probably be hill repeats or tempo runs.

Ryan Hall has a couple which were on RWOL's old site - I dunno if they are on the new one but you could search. I think they are 6 days and 50-65mpw depending on the plan.

You could also look at Brad Hudson's book, which has instructions on how to construct your own plan at whatever level you like. It would be fairly straightforward, I think, to create a half plan to your specs.

how wed are folks to their plan? Does it have to be so formal to work for the longer distances? I am still just 10k and below but I know i am going to do a tempo midweek and track intervals on saturday, long run (which is short compared to most here) sunday or monday. Everything else is recovery runs, sometimes hill repeats if i am feeling frisky and lots o core work and plyos. Each week i try to go a little farther or faster than the week before on the anchor workouts. i dont worry much beyond just getting out the door otherwise.

But reading this thread, i am worried missing something by skipping on a plan.

I am certainly no expert but I figured the pfitz plans only have one speed workout a week which probably isn't enough for a half.

Ilana, thanks for the tip on the Ryan Hall plan but the only one I can find maxes out at about 45 miles per week. I've been thinking about giving the Hudson book a try.

Urban Blues, I don't think having a formal plan to follow is required. I prefer to have a plan to follow to make sure I am getting in all of the quality workouts,long runs and space them appropriately with rest/recovery days. I think your goals also make a difference. i have run 4 half marathons between 1:40:19 and 1:41:50. So I think I need a more formal plan to get me over the hump.

How much speedwork do you feel you need? A HM is not an LT speed race, and I think a lot of speedwork may cut into your ability to do tempo and longer runs, and would favor fast twitch muscles over slow twitch, which seems to be counter to the race distance.

I am currently building a site for one of Canada's top fitness guys (ex pro soccer player in Canada and France) Yuri Elkaim, he specialises in running programs everything from 5k to full marathon. He also has great stuff on nutrition and all the aspects of a training program.

You can find the link on my site http://intervaltrainingtools.com he has a great newsletter and loads of great free information, you can also buy programs from him and yes if you do I get a small affiliate comm (just thought I would be upfront about the relationship)